I haven’t done much as a manager, admittedly, but I’m sorry...I just cannot agree. Every company down to and including the most ramshackle seedy call-center jobs I’ve worked at had you sign your name on papers until you had about as many rights as a potted plant. I’ve been nearly fired for looking for a second job when my first job had a cap on pay harder than titanium; threatened to be sent home for saying “that’s none of your business” to a nosy female boss asking about what I did with my personal time.
Maybe its just my experience, but from what I can see unless you are a protected minority or are outright physically assaulted this isn’t true. Heck I was *threatened* and a lawyer told me I’d go broke just getting the case to court let alone beating their phalanx of $100-an-hour pros on retainer.
I don’t doubt your travails and unfortunate experiences. There are times when it can feel like you’re going up against a machine. However, let me assure you I’ve worked in places that would never tolerate some of the things that happened to you. In fact, the managers would have been reprimanded because such incidents can have serious effects on morale, production, and retention of employees. Regardless what you may think, those are important things in many companies because they all effect the bottom line.
It is true that employee protections vary from state to state and of course the work place environment differs in certain types of companies and industries. But in general, I would say that management wants to avoid the potential for conflicts of any kind in the work place. Its in their own interests. And when you throw minorities into the mix along with gender related issues or perceived harassment of any kind, legal considerations can come into play. Another potentially related issue can be the fear of work place violence from individuals who feel wronged (either perceived or actual). In my experiences of many years in both the private and public sectors, firings are a last resort and something to be avoided if possible.
That said, I realize some places just have terrible management that don’t seem to care. Just like with bad people, you need to do yourself a favor and get away from them and their toxic environment ASAP. Not long ago my son went on a job interview and a nosy female manager (sound familiar to you?) started asking what he considered to be inappropriate questions. He concluded right then and there he would never work at that place. It was their loss, not his.
I guess we can agree to disagree on some things. Its been a good discussion.
Regards.
“I haven’t done much as a manager, admittedly”
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You didn’t miss out on much. At times it feels like you’re baby sitting instead of managing. And that comment includes the people above you. :)